Affordable medical insurance coverage is something all Americans want. TV advertises a medical health insurance policy that sounds so enticing and affordable it is hard not to respond. Correct custom medical insurance coverage is such a difference from just a plain medical health insurance policy purchase. Examine why.

Divorces, jobs, and alternative life styles cause millions of Americans to be afraid of not obtaining affordable medical insurance coverage. Afraid not only of obtaining an illness, or getting involved in an accident, but also of something that often outlasts the illness or accident. That of course is the medical costs of treatment. While some unfortunately have no guilt of never paying back the medical expenses incurred, the majority of Americans do.

With auto insurance you can purchase coverage to fix your car after your is auto is already wrecked. Nor will it cover items like a broken windshield, if the windshield was broken before coverage went into effect. Fortunately, states have laws requiring you to purchase at least minimal coverage if you are going to drive your car. In addition, there are hordes of small town police and state troopers ready to write a series of tickets if you do not follow tons of rules and regulations, plus drop or go without insurance coverage.

Your state will not ticket or fine you if you do not have medical insurance coverage. However, if you feel it is for your benefit to obtain medical health insurance, there are hundreds of options from which to choose. There also is a wide range of prices for you. One 40 year old woman pays over $600 a month for coverage. Another 41-year-old woman gets a policy that is around $200 a month or less. A proposed incentive savings of $4,800 annually that is hard to not accept if an uncovered adult is financially strapped.

Using a current example, each woman has unexpected critical pains and rushes to the hospital. The diagnoses involves minor surgery, which requires 5 days as an inpatient and calls for specialist follow-up and outpatient care for three months. The total bill equates to $12,000 for the hospital and $3,000 for outpatient care. This is just for one occurrence. (personally, I have been an inpatient for four occurrences twice during the previous 7 years, and totals 18 in this time span).

MAJOR MEDICAL COVERAGE – The 40 year old woman paying $600 monthly either with a health insurer, HMO- Health Maintenance Organization, or PPO- Preferred provider organization. Her plan probably has a zero deductible, $10 doctor co-pay, $2,000,000 or more limits, and a $3 to $10 co-pay for prescriptions. It likely had a no pre-existing condition clause, or at worst pre-existing conditions covered after 90 days. Out of this $15,000 medical occurrence, she probably paid for a few items. Her telephone and TV in her hospital room, $60 for 6 doctor co-pays for after treatment, and say $15 monthly for 3 prescriptions to take over the next 12 months. These three prescriptions alone, without coverage, could cost $250 monthly.

MAJOR HOSPITAL COVERAGE – This 41-year-old woman pays $200 month for the major hospital coverage policy she bought as a result of a television commercial Unlike major medical plans, major hospital is usually an indemnity plan. Indemnity meaning reimbursing a certain total amount or percentage for policy covered conditions. Under an indemnity plan even if you use an extreme amount of benefits, it is rare than the amount paid out equals your yearly payments. So paying $2,400 annually and leaving the insurance company 25% or more for overhead, profit, and claims processing would equal around $1,800.

MORE MAJOR PROBLEMS – The woman with medical insurance coverage for major hospital could have $8,200 of hospital costs, $3,000 for outpatient care, and $3,000 for prescriptions. That equals $14,200 just for that, even though she had purchased and paid for a medical policy. What about other illness or accidents that could occur in the next 12 months should she change to another affordable medical insurance policy with major hospital benefits. It will often exclude her pre-existing condition permanently. She is bleeding financially for her poor choice. The saying is “don’t get burned again.”

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE – All is not lost. Although this woman, most newer agents, plus those representative not helping loads of people with their medical coverage think all is lost. The resident state often has up to 300 companies, HMOs, and PPOs offering either major hospital or major medical coverage. Unfortunately, only 50 to 70 of these may offer a high deductible major medical insurance policy. Way less than 10% of life/health agent have ever sold even one. Less than 20% of agents could on the spot answer what a HSA is, let alone explain benefits of eligibility. Fewer than 5% have helped a person enact one.

THE SOLUTION – no one can predict new illness and accidents, when they will occur, or how much they will cost. Even though it has been many, many moons since I sold health insurance, I can put on my free advisor hat. If you can afford it, purchase medical insurance coverage labeled as a major medical plan OR a high deductible major medical plan with a government approved HSA, Health Savings Account. If this not affordable, avoid the insurance company money making major hospital plan. Instead, find a smart insurance agent, which will offer you a major medical plan with a $2,500 to $5,000 deductible, which will very affordable.

Unlike doctors and pharmacists, a hospital will work out a plan with you to pay an unpaid balance. $50 a week would pay off a $2,500 balance in a year. Something both of you might find realistic. Read additional articles like mine on topics like major medical, high deductible, or Government endorsed Health Saving Accounts. Alternatively, search the internet for more information. Either way, do not purchase “affordable medical insurance coverage” until you know ALL the solutions.